It can seem naïve to talk about not hating and moving towards the peace in the face of such unjust, violence. But towards the end of the book, a passage made me stop and wonder if I was missing the point. Maybe Dr. Abuelaish isn’t just a more morally strong, saintly person. Maybe he is just being reasonable and realistic about what the possible solutions are to end the violence. If he’s wrong, there isn’t really any hope for the violence to ever end.

“My three precious daughters and my niece are dead. Revenge, a disorder that is endemic in the Middle East, won't get them back for me. It is important to feel anger in the wake of events like this; anger that signals that you do not accept what has happened, that spurs you to make a difference. But you have to choose not to spiral into hate. All the desire for revenge and hatred does is drive away wisdom, increase sorrow, and prolong strife.

I understand down to my bones that violence is futile. It is a waste of time, lives, and resources, and has been proven only to beget more violence. It does not work. It just perpetuates a vicious cycle. Theres only one way to bridge the divide, to live together, to realize the goals of two peoples: we have to find the light to guide us to our goal. I'm not talking about the light of religious faith here, but light as a symbol of truth. The light that allows you to see, to clear away the fog-to find wisdom. To find the light of truth, you have to talk to, listen to, and respect each other. Instead of wasting energy on hatred, use it to open your eyes and see what's really going on.”